MEMORIES of the Second World War as it was experienced by people in East Devon are one step closer to being immortalised.

East Devon Voluntary Service Agency (EDVSA) has been awarded Heritage Lottery Fund cash to record and preserve Second World War memories of people in Axminster and the surrounding area.

Axminster Remembers, the year-long project, launched on Wednesday July 6 with a tea party at the Axminster Heritage Centre.

Students from Axe Valley Community College hosted the tea party for older people in the community to chat about their memories and enjoy tea and homemade cakes.

Musicians from the college and its choir performed for the guests, including wartime classics such as Chattanooga Choo Choo and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.

The aim of the project is to create a permanent record of life during the war through primary accounts, including those of people suffering with dementia.

Katherine Weston, project manager for Axminster Remembers, said: “This tea party is the start of a project that will bring the community of Axminster together.

“Recording interviews with local people who remember the area during World War Two will be a vital resource for future generations wishing to learn more about the history of East Devon during this time.

“Capturing and sharing these memories before they are lost is an important task.”

Axminster’s role in World War II was particularly significant because it was the southern starting point of the Taunton Stop Line, a World War Two defensive line of pillboxes and anti-tank obstacles, running north to the Somerset coast.